A Reason To Live
by animeotaku0434
Summary: What is Yamamoto really have on his mind? A one-shot that goes along with Unwanted struggle. Might be cheesy! Don't like, don't read!


He never really knew his mother. Whenever he asked his dad, he would smile in a tired way and look at his favorite vase placed lovingly in the corner, before putting an animated face on and launching into his story in trying to catch his mom's heart.

They were funny, and he knew his father always laughed with him, but there were some times when there were too many tears for laughter to be the reason. And in those times, Yamamoto would launch himself into his dad's arms and he would hug him back hard.

Once, when he was six or so, he asked his dad where his mother had gone; he really didn't understand death yet.

His father looked up to the sky and pointed up, his usual grin on his face but you could tell he was trying not to cry. "She's in the sky, Takeshi, watching over us. And when we leave, we'll go join her too."

Maybe that's why he never thought much of death. He was reassured with the thought of his mother there, catching him when he ever really went down the path called 'death'.

Though, in that one time when he fell in the river and nearly drowned, he was confused in the reason why his father was crying so hard, gripping so tightly. He only slipped on the bank, that's all. He swam back, didn't he? And well, if he really did die…

"Don't worry, dad! I would've gotten to see mom!" He said, pasting a smile on his face. His father only shook him a bit, before hugging him tightly to his chest again.

"Don't leave yet, Takeshi. Your old man still needs you yet."

And looking at his dad's sad face, he promised himself never to see it again. So he smiled brightly and hugged him tight.

"Don't worry, I'm still here," he mumbled, his words a bit muffled in his father's shirt. He fell asleep a little after that, tired, and only remembered waking up in his bed, in his pyjamas nice and warm.

After that, Yamamoto tried to find something safe to do. He hit on the perfect thing; baseball.

The feeling of teamwork, the bat hitting the ball, the adrenaline rush as he tried to reach the base, the satisfaction when he saw the ball he pitched in the receiver's glove; it was the best. He finally understood what his father truly meant by passion.

He lived for baseball and his dad.

He was in fourth grade when Yamamoto realised he didn't have any close friends. He was liked by the whole school, sought for in every game, a partner that everyone tried to grab like a trophy. But he realised something.

Everyone had one or two friends who they could spill their guts to, talk about stuff like similar hobbies, do things together, argue with, just hang around in silence and still be content.

He didn't have anyone like that.

Yamamoto wondered where he went wrong, but shrugged it off. It was okay; he had baseball. If he had baseball, it was fine. Baseball, his father, the sushi shop and school; his life consisted of those things only, and anything else was irrelevant.

* * *

He only first noticed Tsuna in the kendo match. They had cancelled practice that day, and as practicing when they were cleaning the field was a bit rude, he wandered to where everyone seemed to be walking towards.

Surprised with the result of the kendo match, when the next day came, he wondered if Tsuna could do as well in baseball. He was disappointed, but still pitched in to help clean. Team-mates were friends in his books.

That day, Yamamoto did something he had never done; not for years anyway. He spilled all the things he was worried about; his dropping baseball form, his grades… everything to this stranger he had never been really aware of until yesterday.

He thought he had made the correct choice when Tsuna echoed what he thought he should do.

Practice more, of course. His dad had always said; if you want to get better, throw yourself into it.

When he broke his arm, it was only a minor fracture, but it stopped him from joining the games. He lost his meaning in life. Baseball had supported him, held him up, a source of pride and honor.

That broken arm stopped him from his life's passion.

What was life without baseball?

He pasted a smile on his face, trying to reassure his dad that he was fine.

The next day, he climbed to the school roof, the only building he knew that should be high enough to ensure death.

He had never really thought much about death.

Because his mother would be there, right?

* * *

Staring down was a bit disconcerting, and he was about to jump off when a stampede of students climbed up the stairs and burst onto the roof, all shouting not to do it.

Yamamoto stared backwards in surprise. They cared… or maybe it was just concern for a fellow classmate.

Then Tsuna stumbled forward, and he turned around this time, interested in what he had to say. He was pale, he was shaking, he was stuttering, but he got his words out. It was so honest, it was nearly heart-rending. He told Yamamoto about his real thoughts, his real feelings, his real doubts.

Although Yamamoto was a bit confused as to why he would want apologize about that, he felt a little stirring in his chest just by his words.

Such honesty was rare nowadays.

"Tsuna…" He reached out just as Tsuna stumbled, causing them both to crash over the the edge of the roof.

During the fall, Yamamoto did not feel any life-flashing-before-his-eyes moments.

The only thing that sprung to mind was his dad's face as he was crying.

What if he wasn't there to hug him this time?

And for the first time, Yamamoto was afraid of death. Afraid of death, and what it would take out of his father; his father was also part of his life, wasn't he? How could he forget his father?

During all this, Tsuna had suddenly stripped and caught Yamamoto, stopping them from dying by doing… some bouncing movement while yelling "Save Yamamoto with my Dying Will!"

It was this time that Yamamoto had his revelation. Flinging everything he had into something wasn't enough; he had to do it with a strong will, a focused one. He smiled at Tsuna. He couldn't have gotten a better person to ask for advice (though he did wonder how he saved him).

And afterwards followed a series of bizarre events too strange to name (but definitely more fun) than anything in his whole life of school, dad, baseball and sushi shop.

Because in a few weeks time, he had to add something to that list.

Dad, Friends, Baseball, Sushi Shop, School.

He had a friend that he could spill his guts to (Tsuna, you want to talk?), a friend to argue with (Don't get close to Juudaime, baseball freak!), a friend to talk sports with (EXTREME BOXING!), a friend to just sit with in silence (Hey, Yumi… Yumi! Don't sleep in your lunch!) And they all just hung out.

It was fun. He could say it could even rival baseball.

With friends in his life, as cheesy as it sounds, it seemed as if the world seemed brighter. Friends cheering him on in a baseball match made him want to try harder; friends celebrating after a victory of any kind made it all the more fun and rewarding.

What had he been missing in life, till now? Passion could take up a lifetime, but, he guessed, it couldn't fill in the gaps in the soul. But friends could, and they just seemed to turn into play-doh and fill in all the holes that his father's love couldn't reach.

Yamamoto felt full, and happier than any adrenaline filled high from an overwhelming victory.

He resolved this, as he surveyed his group of precious, precious friends.

He would do anything for them.

After all, life was all about team work, right?

Just like baseball.

* * *

Thanks for Reading!

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